638 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[March 2, 1891 
CINCHONA BABE AND QUININE. 
[Annual Ebpobt by 0, E. Boeheinger & Sohne : 
Waldhof near Mannheim.] 
Waldhof near Mannheim, 12th Jan,, 1891. 
Quinine. — At the beginning of the year just past 
manufacturers of quinine were occupied, even more 
than the rest of mankind, with the consequences of the 
influenza. The consumption of quinine during the 
period that the epidemic prevailed has been calculated 
at 3,000,000 cz. and that estimate is certainly rather 
below, than above the truth. We are moreover, of the 
opinion that since the period in question, the consump- 
tion of quinine in general, and especially in Europe 
has increased considerably. Probably those physicians 
who were about to relegate quinine to the category of 
obsolete medicines have since become of a quite differ- 
ent opinion. 
During the first three quarters of the year 1890, the 
movements of the market were perfectly natural, and 
always the legitimate results of the situation. From 
Is 2^d per oz, on the 1st. January, the price rose in 
consequence of the large demand during the months 
Jan. -February to Is 3jd to Is 4d per cz. and followed 
the decline of the epidemic during March-April by going 
back to Is 2Jd, oscillated during the quiet summer 
months between Is and Is Id, and in Angust rose 
again in consequence of large orders from America to 
Is 2d, Only in the last quarter of the year was the 
market “ artifloially” influenced : heavy forced sales 
depressed the price down to 12Jd to Is Id first hand, 
and 11 to lljd second hand. 
Prices op Sulphate of Quinine. 
On 1st Jan. peroz On 1st Jan. per oz 
1891 Is to Is Id 1878 10s 4d 
1890 Is 2id „ Is 3d 1877 10s lOd 
1889 la 3^d „ Is 4d 1876 6s 7d 
1888 2s ,> 2s 2d 1875 6s 4d 
1887 i, 2a 3d 1874 9s 
1886 2s 8d „ 2s 9d 1873 7s lOd 
1885 >t 4s 3d 1872 7s 8d 
1884 7s „ 7s 6d 1871 7s 4d 
1883 6s 9d „ 7s 1870 6s 8d 
1882 9s 6d „ lOs 1869 4s 9d 
1881 lOs 3d „ 10a 6d 1868 4s 8d 
. 1880 lls „ 11s 6d 1822 40s 
1879 12s 
Conditions in the producing countries remain subject 
to the same tendency already indicated by ns. The 
cultivation of the Cinchona in Ceylon steadily decreases, 
and yields place to the planting cf tea and other more 
profitable growths. The number of two year old Cin- 
chona trees in Ceylon, that as recently as 1868, was 
reckoned at 70 millions, in 1886 bad declined to 35 
millions, and at present is estimated at only 19 millions. 
The falling off in last year’s exports of bark from Cey- 
lon compared with 1885 86 amounts to 6,670,000 1’b. 
equivalent to about 2,250,000 oz. of sulphate of quinine. 
Java on the other hand sends oontinually larger 
supplies of bark ; 
Export of Bark from Java 
during the season from 1st July to 30ih June. 
Amsterdam lb. Amsterdam lb. 
1889-90 abt. 4,750,000 1885-86 abt. 1,531,156 
1888-89 4,415,000 1884-85 1,195,976 
1887-88 3,492,913 1883-84 1,104,534 
1886-87 2,2.30,276 1882-83 420,668 
From 1st July 30th November, 
Amsterdam lb. Amsterdam lb. 
1890 abt. 2,4.50,000 1887 abt. 1,781,5.58 
1889 2,019,086 1886 922,141 
1888 1,825,273 1885 591,085 
In the year 1869 the total export of cinchona bark 
from Java was only 700 A. lb. In respect to this 
product, the increasing importance of Java as com- 
pared with Ceylon, is farther illustrated by a com- 
parison of the London and Amsterdam public sales. 
The first auction at Amsterdam of 8/6 kilos of 
cinchona bark took place on 20th October 1870. Up 
to 1883 only one or two public sales of bark wore held 
there annually, but since 1889 the number of Amster- 
dam inctiona has risen to ten yearly, 
Public Sales of Bark in London. 
1890 67,528 packages 
1889 70,635 „ 
1888 90,470 „ 
1887 99,436 „ 
of which were sold 
cz. Suipb. Quinine. 
1890 45,460 packages contg. abt. 4,020,000 
1889 .... „ 4,350,000 
Public Sales of Bark in Amsterdam. 
packgs. 
with abt. lb. 
contg. abt. oz. 
Snip. Qninine. 
1890 
39,636 
7,196,000 
4.250.000 
2.720.000 
1889 
24,749 
4 562,000 
1888 
18,216 
3.158,000 
1,880,000 
1887 
2,007,000 
1,190,000 
1886 
1,439,000 
858,000 
of which were sold 
1890 about 6,384,000 lb, contg. abt. 3,826,000 oz. 
Sulph. Quinice. 
In point of fact therefore, os regards the quantity 
of qninine contained in the bark sold Amsterdam has 
almost placed itself on a par with the London market, 
and this year may vciy likely overtake it. It were 
however prudent not to indulge in any exaggerated 
speculations in this respect, since the outlook in 
cinchona cultivation in Java seeem.s by no means so 
rosy as frequently described. The fact that the West 
Java Cinchona Cultivation Maatsebappy has resolved 
to uproot about 2,000,000 cinchona trees on two of its 
four estates, suggests at all events the advisability of 
cautious judgment in the question. 
The number of cinchona trees in Java is at present 
estimated at about 32 millions. 
Export from Malabar Coast. 
The supply of bark last year was smaller than 
in 1888-89. 
. From 1st July to 30th June. 
lb. lb. 
1889-90.. .. 1,833,622 1886 87.. .. 272,048 
1888-89.. .. 2,218,700 1885-86.. .. 794,528 
1887-88,. .. 1,070,160 
The decrease is very little due to local nianafactnre 
of quinine, since in the last year under report, only 
234 lb. of quinine were made in the Government 
factories, and as before at a cost considerably greater 
than the price of the drug if bought in Europe. 
Experiments carried cn in India since 1886 have 
furnished proof of the interesting fact that by manur- 
ing the cinchona, its contents in qninine can be in- 
creased. The natural cinchona officinalis (11 year old 
trees) for example, which contains on an average only 
3 percent of quinine, under treatment wi'h manure 
gave the following results: — 
With lime and cattle manure 5.19 to 5.98 per cent 
fish manure 5.94 „ 6.82 „ 
bone-meal and cattle manure 5.35 „ 5.97 ,, 
bone-meal 4.95 ,, 
With 21 year old trees (renewed bark), 
fish manure 8.43 per cent 
bone-meal 7.02 „ 
Mossed bark. Natural hark, 
fish manure 5.97 per cent. I fish manure 5.54 per cent 
bone-meal 7.02 ,, | bone-meal 6.85 ,, 
The agents employed enrich the bark more especially 
of the fast growing Succirnbrss, Ledgers and Hybrids, 
and act more energetically upon younger than older 
trees. 
Bolivia 
sent last year a larger proportion of its high standard 
bark to Hamburg, viz. about 2,188 bales of about 70 lb. 
each. The London receipts were : 
1890 6,574 bales. 1886 3.979 bales. 
1889 7,552 do 1885 2 599 do 
1888 7,810 do 1884 2,866 do 
1887 7,190 - do 1883 2,774 do 
The cultivation of the Cinchona tree is becoming un- 
profitable also in Bolivia. The number of trees at pie- 
sept under cultivation is said to exceed 15 millions. 
